Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-15
THE COLLEGE LEAGUE.
Amateur Basebnllists Busy-The Detroits
the Favorites in the Profo 5sional League.

Amateur Basebnilists Busy-The Detroits
the Favorites in the Profo 5sional League.
While baseball circles are chiefly inter.
ested in the doings of the professional
| players the amateurs are by no means
forgotten. Among college men baseball
takes a high rank in the field sports and
the fight for the collegiate championship
of the diamoud always causes much excite
ment. The recently formed baseball
league between Harvard, Yale, Princeton
and Columbia promises to furnish this
season some remarkably good contests,
All the clubs.are strong, and in this league,
at least it may be said that the chance or
every member for getting the pennant is
good. Columbia will be represented by u
particularly strong nine, and dnring the
winter its members have been in regular
practice. They are already getting out on
the field and make Il fine appearance.
Though not bound down by fines, as
among,the professional players, the college
boys observe their training rules in the
strictest manner possible, and their organl-
Zaton might well furnish an example to
some of the professional clubs. The
Princeton college journals express much
confidence in the ability of the Jersey boys
to carry off the honors.
Several of the men who did such good
work for the team last year are still with
them and the new matarial is said OF be eX-
cellent Harvard is very onfident-almost
too.confdent. Her men have been practlc.
ing in the cage all the winter and should
undoubtedly make good showing, now.
ever. Strong men from last year are sui
with them, and if the crimson does not
come out ahead, the friends OF the old col
lege will be greatly disappointed Yale, as
usual, doesn't say much. She knows her
boys are good and prefers to let their deeds
speak for them. Columbia men seem to
think that if the white and blue is not at
the top at the end of the season the blue
alone will be. Still so little is known of
the comparative merits of the clubs in this
intercollegiate league that no one cares to
predict which will win. Five games will be
played in this city, as follows: Harvard
VS.. Columbia, April 30 Yalevs. Columbia,
May 81 the same, May IS; Harvard VS..
Columbia, June 4 ; Princeton vs.. Colum-
bia, June s.
This league dose not interfere with the
regular intercollegiate Baseball Associa-
ton, which includes number of the small
er colleges. In the latter the fight is more
uneven as some of the colleges are not
represented by strong teams: But, the
contest for first place will be quite as close,
probably, as it was last year, and if so, will
be very exciting.
Among the professional clubs now all is
activity. Field practice is now in order,
and already several exhibition games have
been played. The New Yorks are getting
together in good shape, although for some
unknown reason Manager Mutrie still
puts off signing some of his best men. Ev.
cry one IS wondering whom he will will
put at third in place of Elsterbrook. All
that Mr., Mutrie will say on the subject is,
| that when the tins comes he Will have
third base covered in way that will sur
prise every one. The "Mets" are all out
now in good shape. Those who have seen
them in the field agree that they are fine
aggregation, and from being one of the
most maigned clubs in the country they
have become one of the most praised. All
the men show that they have taken care
of themselves during the winter, and that
week or two's practice will put them ii
condition to begin the championship series
At present they seem to be thinking more
of their coming fight with the New 1orks
Should they defeat the latter they think
that they will take the giants" place il
popular estimation in this city. The three
games therefore which these two team:
are soon to play will doubtless be of AZ
unusually exciting character, and there are
plenty of men about town who are ready
| to back the "Mets"
In the league series just at present, be
fore any of the teams have crossed bats
the majority of opinion seems to be in ia
vor of the Detroits for first place.